


By Crescent Light

by kaitekat



Series: By Crescent Light [1]
Category: Transformers Generation One
Genre: Crack, Gen, M/M, Magical Girls
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-02-26
Updated: 2014-02-19
Packaged: 2017-12-03 16:10:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 10,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/700126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaitekat/pseuds/kaitekat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Talking mascots, pretty skirts and sparkles abound: Prowl and the Pretty Sailor-Suited Autobots are here to protect and serve. Earth will never be the same. Just stay right there and we'll show you!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Crescent Moon

**Author's Note:**

> This story was begun in October 2009, and was posted to both Fanfiction.net and my [writing journal](http://katfics.livejournal.com). As it was originally meant to be a one-off that kind of exploded, I posted the story in bits and pieces that were all out of order. However, since the first arc is now drawing to a close and I have the timeline firmly squashed into place, I decided to start uploading the first arc here, in order. Please mind the crack!

"This is highly illogical." Prowl was adamant, his doorwings held stiffly behind him as he regarded his fellow officer and now… _partner_. Jazz was looking far too amused about their situation for his own good, fairly dancing on his pedes as he hummed quietly. "Can't you take this seriously for once?"

"Aw, c'mon Prowler," Jazz grinned, elbowing him in the side. Prowl grunted, eyeing him distrustfully. "Ain't that bad. And you gotta admit, this' got some perks to it. Didja see the look on ol' Bucket-head's face?"

"I think the look on Megatron's face will follow me to the Matrix." Prowl replied dryly. "I didn't think he was capable of squeaking like that." Jazz guffawed and Prowl shot him a glare. "But that still doesn't change the fact that we don't have any rational explanation for why we've had these…upgrades, if you could call them that."

"Sure we do!"

"I do not include  _that_  as a rational explanation. More like an overenergized-induced hallucination."

"Hey now, I don't think the nice winged lady woulda appreciated you callin' her a hallucination." Jazz said easily. "And I thought she explained pretty nicely. She had pictures an' everything!"

"The mere idea that the light of a natural satellite in a certain phase could even possibly grant a major increase in power via a small jeweled accessory – which also includes certain changes to one's plating to grant the full effect – is ridiculous." Prowl frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. The new additions made this awkward, but Prowl stoically endured it. "Particularly when the self-proclaimed guardian of this ability claims that two members of an alien species are the ones chosen specifically for this power, in order to protect a planet that's not even their own."

"Yeah, but we'd protect Earth anyways."

"That's not the point!"

Jazz put a friendly hand on Prowl's shoulder, and Prowl flinched, his gaze locked on the hand. It sparkled faintly in the moonlight. "Cool it, Prowler. Logical or not, we've been given these upgrades, so let's get out there and do what we do best. Just think of it as a new invention of Wheeljack's!" Jazz paused as Prowl shuddered. "Okay, maybe that's a bad analogy."

"No, I think it's fairly apt." Prowl's tone was acerbic, and Jazz just grinned at him.

"Ya gotta admit, some of it comes in handy though." Jazz' grin turned feral, twirling a stylized wand in his free hand. "Now let's go scare some 'cons."

Prowl sighed, shuttering his optics briefly. " _Scare_  is a good word." He muttered. "All right, let's get this over with." With that, he straightened, shoulders back and chestplate out, garishly bright bow shining a brilliant red in the moonlight. Jazz' equally brilliant blue miniskirt flared as he twirled to face the barrier between them and the unsuspecting Decepticons raiding yet another human facility.

As he put his hands on top of the barrier, ready to heft himself up, Jazz sent Prowl a fleeting smirk. "Just think," he purred, "at least we don't need to worry 'bout a Halloween costume this year." And then he was over, with Prowl close behind, growling faintly. Jazz  _grinned_ , and raised his voice as he posed as dramatically as possible. "In the name of love and justice, Sailor Jazz is here! By the light of the Crescent Moon, we'll punish you!"

Prowl just glared at the gawking Decepticons, leveled a sparkling staff at them, and ground out, "Moon Shadow Sickle Revelation." The purple and black beam that erupted blasted satisfyingly in to the crowd, almost enough to make up for the sparkles. Almost.

Prowl decided that when it was his time to return to the Matrix, he and Primus were going to have a  _long_  talk.


	2. Black Cat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone Explains Things, and is non-plussed when she doesn't get the expected reaction.

"I don't think either of you quite understands what this entails."

Jazz regarded their current guest with a slight grin. "What's t' understand?" He asked. "We go out there, kick 'con aft, save the earth, an' go back t' base. All seems pretty straight-forward t' me."

"Well, yes, but…" She huffed, features screwing up in a grimace. Prowl, in a distant part of his processor, mused that that human-like gesture made the whole situation just that much more surreal. "You're so blasé about it! Why aren't you complaining? Kicking up a fuss? Throwing a…a pity party!" She shook her head in frustration.

"We're soldiers." Prowl said sharply, his optics focusing once more on their guest's diminutive form. "And officers, as well. We're well versed in both combat and protecting innocents. Moaning and bewailing our fates would hardly help the situation, and is unprofessional."

"'xactly." Jazz grinned, nudging his partner gently with his free arm. Prowl bore it with a long-suffering expression. "Ain't nothin' confusing about it."

"Conversing with a feline about the entire situation, however, is somewhat bizarre." Prowl admitted, regarding the black cat sitting daintily in Jazz's outstretched hand.

"Well," the cat said, offended dignity somewhat mollified, "at least  _that's_  normal."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know how in every Magical Girl series, the main character starts whining about how she doesn't have time to go save the world, or how she doesn't want to fight, etc etc?
> 
> It may be the acceptable way for Magical Girls to act, but it doesn't mean our mechs have to act like that. Even if it does throw their mascot off. Er. Advisor.
> 
> And conversing with an earth cat is totally different than talking to Ravage or Steeljaw. Since earth cats aren't supposed to be sentient.


	3. Magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tranquility attempts to explain Magical!Plothole fixits - I mean, disguise magic.

"Surely you must understand that our abilities will not remain secret for long," Prowl said reasonably.

"Of course they will," Tranquility said. "The magic will keep it that way, so long as you don't do anything  _too_  obvious."

"But Jazz introduced himself on both occasions we clashed with the Decepticons while upgraded."

Jazz snickered. "Champion of truth, justice and rock 'n roll, that's me!"

"And besides that, the only changes to our plating while in that state are relatively minor. Anyone with a functioning set of optics will easily recognize us."

"Except that they won't," the small black cat replied smugly. "Did any of that second group tonight recognize either of you at all?"

"Nope," Jazz replied. He glanced over at Prowl, who was still regarding them both with a skeptical expression, and tapped the Upgrade panel attached to the armor over his spark chamber contemplatively. He felt that the panel itself was pretty obvious – deep blue with an engraved silver crescent moon that sparkled brightly in the moonlight, and a dark grey with the same silver moon for Prowl – but Tranquility had earlier assured them that no one would even notice it when they weren't using their respective Upgrades. "Woulda thought 'Screamer might have said something about it at the very least; he never can stop running his vocalizer."

"Perhaps he was trying to suppress the horrific experience," Prowl replied dryly. "In any case, we didn't really give them a chance for conversation. Our arrival left each group of Decepticons in a state of confusion to the extent of an extremely fast retreat once we attacked."

"Cause we're just that good."

"That, and they likely assumed Wheeljack has developed some sort of super weapon. I'm sure in subsequent attacks they will rally a more effective defense."

"Regardless of what they thought," Tranquility interrupted, eyeing them both, "The magic was doing its job. They might have been surprised, but trust me; none of your enemies recognized you. The magic would have distorted the name-dropping without being noticeable."

"Convenient, that."

"As long as no one sees you transform, the magic will keep anyone else from discovering your true identities," Tranquility explained. "Or, well, unless it's necessary for them to know," she added meticulously. "Then they won't be affected."

"But that makes no  _sense_ ," Prowl said, and Jazz was hard-put to restrain the smile fighting to break free at the faint note of complaint in Prowl's voice.

Tranquility sniffed. "It makes perfect sense," she retorted. "It's  _magic_."


	4. Allegiance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prowl is infinitely more stubborn than any cat. Trufax.

When Tranquility first came to the base, she insisted on keeping a low profile around the other bots. "It's important." She stressed. "To everyone else, I'm just a normal cat."

"To everyone else you're a normal cat." Prowl agreed. "Except Prime. He will ultimately decide whether or not you can stay in the Ark."

"Shouldn't be a problem." Jazz said cheerfully. "You'll see."

Tranquility shook her head. "He's not one of us!"

"He's our commanding officer." Prowl replied calmly. "So he will know everything."

"I don't think you quite grasp the meaning of secrecy." Tranquility said acerbically.

"And I don't quite think you grasp the concept that our allegiance belongs, first and foremost, to the Autobots." Prowl glanced down at her, raising an optic ridge. "It really isn't a hard concept to grasp." He added.

"Don't get us wrong," Jazz said, "we wanna protect the Earth and all, but Optimus is Prime. We can't really hide somethin' this big from him."

"You're going to have to." Tranquility spat. "I'm not going to talk to him, and you're not going to either. You can't. You're Guardians now. That's the most important thing."

"Well," Prowl said, "I suppose that's that." Tranquility smiled, pleased, until a round glittering gray panel dropped to the floor in front of her. A blue panel quickly joined it, shimmering gently in the moonlight.

"Told you." Jazz said, still smiling. "We're Autobots. If you can't accept that, then we can't accept these." He shook his helm. "'S too bad. I kinda liked the skirt." He sounded almost wistful.

Prowl nodded to the stunned feline. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Tranquility." He said. "Good luck in your future endeavors." They turned to go.

"Wait!"

They turned back, and she nudged the gray panel towards Prowl. "I'll talk to him." She said. Her mouth was twisted to one side and her eyes were flat, tail swishing madly behind her. "But  _just_  him."

Prowl bent and took back his panel, handing Jazz his own. "Just him." He agreed gravely. He transformed and opened his front door for Tranquility, who made a dignified leap on to his front seat. Jazz transformed beside him, and they peeled off across the asphalt under a star filled sky, the crescent moon hanging low on the horizon.

"Slag," Jazz laughed as they headed towards the Ark, "but the bots are gonna  _flip_  when they find out you've adopted a cat, Prowl."

"I think it would be more believable if we claimed  _you_  have adopted Tranquility, Jazz."

"No way, mech. She's all yours. You both are two of a kind."

"Do I get any say in this at all?" Tranquility demanded.

"Not really." The grin in Jazz's voice was almost visible. "You're just a cat, remember?"

"You don't really know  _anything_  about cats, do you."


	5. Honey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bumblebee can has sparkles nao.

"You're one of us," the little cat insisted, her green eyes wide and bottomless. Bumblebee shook his helm of the fog that seemed to be taking over his processor. He had to be imagining this. Prowl would have mentioned the fact that the cat he had adopted was capable of human speech. And that she was apparently his advisor for a team within the Autobots that utilized…magic? Granted by the light of the crescent moon? (What about other phases of the moon? It wasn't even a crescent moon tonight; the phase was just shy of a full moon, the great white globe hanging in the air like a child's attempt at a circle that came close but was still slightly off.) It was all too strange. The cat huffed in exasperation, and then did an impossible back flip, landing nimbly on all four paws. A large round panel clattered to the ground after her; gold and sparkling and embossed with a silver crescent moon. It was strangely compelling. "I'll prove it to you." She said somewhat grimly, and nosed the panel towards him. Bumblebee stared at the panel, and then looked at her again, not trusting himself to speak. "Well, come on then," she said impatiently. "Pick it up."

He bent and scooped up the panel, giving her an uncertain look. "What am I supposed to do with it?"

"Attach it just over your spark chamber. Quickly now!" She frowned at his skeptical look. "Don't argue, just do it!"

Uncertain as to just why he was obeying the odd cat, even if she  _was_  Prowl's, Bumblebee did as he was told. The panel clicked in to place with a strange sense of familiarity that surprised him, and then the heat rushed over him.

It was as if everything he had ever done over his lifetime led up to that moment. He felt as if he had been missing a piece of himself his entire life without knowing it and only now was whole. Suddenly everything came together and his spark was singing with the pure and absolute rightness of it all. And even when the heat faded, that feeling of completeness didn't fade.

He onlined optics he hadn't realized he'd offlined in the first place, and looked down at the cat. And that's when he noticed the black bow and the gold skirt. "This is new." He observed mildly.

"Come on," Tranquility said a trifle smugly. "Time to go 'kick some 'con aft', as Jazz would say."

Bumblebee grinned at her. "Now you're talking my language!"

The sight of Jazz and Prowl similarly be-skirted didn't surprise Bumblebee all that much by this point, but his own entrance certainly surprised everyone else. Words rose unbidden to his mind, and Bumblebee smiled in to the stunned silence, his expression bright and cheerful and utterly without malice. "Moon Honey Spark Burst!"

Starscream, coated in what appeared to be a veneer of gold sparkles, crashed in to a nearby tree as his vision was compromised. Thundercracker and Skywarp wobbled in the air, and Prowl quickly fired off a couple of quick purple blasts from his scythe. As they fell ingloriously from the sky, Jazz grinned at the newest recruit.

"Nice duds." He said cheerfully. Bumblebee grinned back.

"Yours aren't too shabby either."

Prowl shuttered his optics once before turning towards the downed Seekers. At least  _they_  were still somewhat normal.


	6. Treat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jazz doesn't really know when to give up. Prowl isn't really complaining.

"Mm, you're all wrapped up like an energon treat. Guess I'll just have ta unwrap you."

"Jazz, we've – ah! – already established that the ad-additions to our armor c-caaaan't—"

Jazz chuckled, his voice smooth and low. "Yeah, but ya know what they say – 'if at first you don't succeed…'"

"'F-failure may be your style.'" Despite his words, Prowl arched as Jazz did  _something_  in his seams. He bit back a whimper as Jazz smirked.

"Ooh, ouch. Them's fightin' words."

"I still don't see you succeeding in removing any of the upgrades." Prowl retorted bitingly. He was trying not to react, but slag if Jazz wasn't making it hard.

"Heh. Jus' be patient." The saboteur said, nimble fingers sliding up under Prowl's skirt. Prowl shivered despite himself; the armor seemed especially sensitive under the cloth. Curious, it had never—he gasped sharply as Jazz fingered the seam he encountered. "I wonder," Jazz murmured, "what'd happen if I overload ya while we're transformed. Since th' upgrades apparently have a lot t'do with will."

"Jazz—" Prowl began, but Jazz cut him off with an aggressive kiss, simultaneously twisting his fingers deeper in to Prowl's circuitry. Suddenly, thinking didn't seem quite so important anymore.

 

 

"Slag." Jazz murmured in to Prowl's audio sometime later. Prowl turned to give him a questioning look, his optics half-shuttered. He was halfway in to recharge already, and Jazz was about ready to follow him. "Was hopin' I could force a spontaneous transformation." Jazz explained. Prowl snorted in response.

"'Told you we couldn't without a proper transformation." He replied. "Speaking of which, we really should transform back to normal."

"I dunno." Jazz said thoughtfully. "I kinda like the sparkles, though." Prowl gave him a flat look, and pushed himself up off the berth.

"That's it, I'm transforming."

Jazz laughed and pulled him back down, wrapping his arms around his lover so he couldn't escape again. Prowl settled in to his embrace mock grumbling, but didn't touch his transformation brooch.


	7. Orange

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sunstreaker is annoyed, and Prowl pretends that he's not enjoying this. Really.

"Naw, really, Sunny. The orange, s'good look on ya. It…uh…"

"It  _clashes_  with my  _paint job_." The golden front liner seethed, yanking futilely at the bright orange miniskirt seemingly attached to his hip plates.

"But it's so  _cute_  on you, bro!" Sideswipe tweaked the golden bow attached above Sunstreaker's aft, dancing out of the way of his twin's reach as Sunstreaker swiped at him with a growl. His own dark maroon skirt flared becomingly as he did so, and Jazz chuckled softly at the sight.

"Regardless, the…uniforms…are remarkably resistant to damage, so any attempts at destruction are in vain." Prowl said, his expression blank. Sunstreaker snorted, folding his arms over his chest. Sideswipe grinned cheekily.

"Already tested that, Prowl?" He asked with innocent optics.

"Yes." Prowl replied blandly, as Jazz snickered. Prowl had tested it repeatedly. (Jazz had helped. He'd had a bit more fun with it than Prowl had had by himself – and he was fairly sure Prowl had enjoyed it more when he helped, too. Not that Prowl would admit it, the slagger.) It seemed that the only way to remove any of the cosmetic changes the transformation created was to transform back to normal.

The twins wandered off by themselves shortly after, bickering amiably between themselves, and Jazz leaned against Prowl's side, still grinning. "Admit it," he murmured in to Prowl's audial, "ya were just as amused with Sunny as 'Sides an' me."

The corner of Prowl's lip plates twitched up. "Perhaps." He murmured back. Jazz snickered softly. "Misery does love company, after all."


	8. Pretty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ratchet is annoyed and Wheeljack is amused; Sideswipe is just milking it.

"What in Primus' name did you do to your plating? Did you jump into a vat of glitter? Have you  _any_  idea what that kind of thing does to your circuits?"

Tuning out Ratchet's ranting with the ease of long practice, Wheeljack poked at the shimmering maroon stuff attached to Sideswipe's hips. "What's its purpose?" he asked curiously.

"It makes me look pretty," Sideswipe said cheekily. "Don't you think so?"

"You're very pretty," Wheeljack agreed, laughing. Sideswipe, laid out on the table in the Med Bay with a completely busted leg, visibly preened.

"It's an Upgrade to augment combat abilities," Prowl explained, standing stoically in his own grey skirt and red bow. "The existence of which is highly classified, you understand."

"Do you mean to tell me you lot have been fooling around with unapproved upgrades and didn't think to let the Chief Medical Officer – the bot who is in charge of  _fixing_  your sorry afts – know about it?" Ratchet asked dangerously, whirling on Prowl.

"As I said, the existence of these Upgrades are classified, and –"

"And we're lettin' you know now, ain't we Prowl?" Jazz added quickly, slinging an arm over Prowl's shoulder. Prowl twitched under his arm, but didn't refute this statement.

Jazz, Wheeljack noted, was also in a 'pretty' skirt. "So how many of you are there with these – ah – Upgrades?"

"There are currently five Autobots, including ourselves, with the Upgrades." Prowl replied.

"Sunny and 'Bee, too." Jazz said cheerfully.

"And is this likely to become a widespread condition?" Ratchet demanded. "Sideswipe, lie back down. I can't fix you if you keep twitching all over the slagging place."

Sideswipe slumped back down under Ratchet's hand with a huff. "The cat said there're more of us but she doesn't know who yet. Slag, doc, just because I like it rough in the berth doesn't mean I—"

"The cat," Ratchet said flatly. "You mean the little black cat that's been following Prowl around lately?" He ignored Sideswipe, who pouted but subsided for the time being.

"What, really? I didn't know Earth cats could talk," Wheeljack said thoughtfully. He poked at the orange ribbon on Sideswipe's chest plate next, and Ratchet swatted his hand away with a muttered curse.

"Tranquility is…unique." Prowl said. "In any case, she has indeed claimed that there are more to be Upgraded, although she has yet to reveal just how many."

"Prowl tried," Jazz explained. "The kitty cat's real good at disappearing when she don't want to answer."

"I vote for Grimlock as the next Upgraded bot," Sideswipe suggested. "Don't you think  _he'd_  look pretty?"

"I think I need a drink," Ratchet muttered.


	9. Puppyoptics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bluestreak comes to term with talking cats.

"Here, kitty," Bluestreak was kneeling on the floor, one hand stretched entreatingly towards Prowl's black cat. "C'mere, kitty. You really ought to get out of there, you know. Red Alert will fritz pretty badly; he already thinks you're a bad idea to have on base. I don't, though! Even if Sparkplug says that black cats are bad luck. I wonder why that is? Jazz said it's an old superstition. Humans have really weird ideas, don't they? Sometimes they even…"

"Blue, whatcha doing down there?"

Bluestreak looked up. Sideswipe was watching him from the doorway with a curious expression. The red front liner's optics flickered briefly to the cat, and if Bluestreak didn't know any better he'd swear something (recognition?) passed between them. Then Sideswipe was grinning cheekily at him and Bluestreak decided he must have imagined it. "Prowl's cat," he explained. "She's under the console and you  _know_  how Red Alert gets and I know he'd never hurt her or anything but it would be better if she'd just come out so he doesn't have a chance to get worked up in the first place because it really sucks slag when he does but she doesn't seem to like me at  _all_  and I don't want to get Prowl for something like this because he always has too much to do to begin with and…"

"Hey, gotcha. But I don't think cats really think of themselves on the same plane as us. They'll do what  _they_  want, when they want and not a moment before." He skipped a beat and grinned. "And Tranquility is prissier than most," he said almost gleefully.

The cat regarded Sideswipe for a long, chilly moment. Then she started vigorously tonguing her leg clean. Sideswipe chuckled. "Just leave her, 'Blue. She'll come out in her own time. C'mon, the game system's all set up, and you promised me and Sunny a rematch."

Bluestreak nodded and started after Sideswipe. Then he paused and looked back. "I really wish she'd let me pet her," he said mournfully. "Just a little bit."

The cat tilted her head to the side as she regarded Bluestreak with unblinking green eyes. Then she slipped out from under the console and bounded out the door, tail raised high like a banner.

 

 

The moon was high, the night was clear, and a little ways away Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were holding off the Decepticons in sparkly  _mini-skirts_ , of all things. But, as bizarre as that was, it wasn't what was holding Bluestreak's attention.

"You can talk!" he blurted. "Does Prowl know you can talk? I didn't think it was possible; the humans all say that cats are intelligent but I've never heard of one being sentient and you  _sound_ sentient but…"

"I can talk," the cat cut in. "But you talk enough for both of us, I think. You're part of our team now, Bluestreak, so you might as well get used to my speaking to you." She paused and narrowed her eyes. "And yes, I am  _quite_  sentient."

"Um," Bluestreak said. "If I'm part of  _your_  team, does this mean you'll let me pet you?"

Tranquility was about to say something scathing but was arrested by the combination of hope and longing on Bluestreak's face. She sighed. " _After_  you take care of the enemy." Bluestreak lit up; brighter than the white full moon hanging in the clear black sky. Tranquility suppressed a groan.  _Jazz's right_ , she decided,  _I'm doomed. He really_ is _too cute to deny._  Then she considered the ramifications of Bluestreak's "puppy-optics" as Jazz called them.  _I wonder if his Upgrade will reflect that look...?_


	10. Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There was light, and it was good. Well. Someone thought so, anyways.

The darkness was absolute. It almost seemed to have a tangible presence, inky and thick. Even headlights couldn't seem to cut through it. Prowl hated to put the term to it, even now, but it almost seemed…supernatural in nature.

"Well," Jazz's voice came from somewhere to Prowl's right. He automatically tried to turn and focus on it. "Think it's time t' shine a bit a light around here." Jazz continued.

"C'mon Sunny, your turn!" Sideswipe was off to his left and a little bit behind him. So Sunstreaker should be…

"No." His voice was firm, resolute, and coming from Prowl's immediate left. There were other bots in the room as well, and Prowl was loathe to leave all of them in darkness any longer than they needed to be.

"Sunstreaker." Prowl said quietly. "I'm ordering you to use your upgrade."

There was a brief rebellious silence, and everyone waited in the darkness.

And then there was light. And a blindingly bright Sunstreaker, who was glowing fit to light up an entire city, a miniature supernova lighting up the space between his open hands. And an absolutely thunderous expression on his faceplates, just  _daring_  anyone to say something.

"Here comes the sun…" Sideswipe dodged back as Sunstreaker lunged at him, laughing as he danced away from his glowing twin. "Here comes the sun, and I say it's all right!"

"Sometimes," Prowl said to no one in particular, "I wonder just  _what_  factor was involved in each of our individual upgrades."

"'S like I always say," Jazz said cheerfully, stepping back to let the twins' race past him, "Primus has a whoppin' sense o' humor."

"Evidently."

"I'm walking on sunshine, yeah! And don't it feel  _good_!"

"You won't be feeling good when I get through with you." Sunstreaker snarled, still carrying the light source. Shadows flickered rapidly around the room, momentarily leaving bots in darkness as the light was blocked. As a result, no one else saw Prowl's smile briefly light up his faceplates.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Here Comes the Sun" is by the Beatles and "Walking on Sunshine" is by Katrina and the Waves.
> 
> There are currently 2 parts missing from the timeline and the next one fits after this, so the next batch will be once that part is completed; hopefully within the week.


	11. Protect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trailbreaker is just happy for one more way to protect the things he cares about.

The trees surrounding them stood tall and largely unbroken, with only a few fallen branches standing testament to the brawl that had earlier broken out.  _This much will soon heal,_ Hound thought to himself, satisfied.  Organic life was so incredible. 

And speaking of incredible… “So, magic huh?”  Hound fingered the sparkling amber bow over his chest plate.  “It feels kinda tingly.”

“Yeah, I bet Thrust feels the same way,” Sideswipe snickered.  “Wonder if he’s having good dreams?”

“From the way he was going on after he got hit by Hound’s Upgrade, it sounds like it.”  Sunstreaker folded his arms, smirking.  “ _Delusion_ is definitely apt.”

“It’s good to have you on the team,” Tranquility said warmly.  “I’m sure you’ll be _much_ more reliable than certain others.”

“Yeah,” Sideswipe drawled, “Prowl is such a slacker.  Good thing we have you two along.”

Tranquility hissed at him.  “I wasn’t talking about _Prowl_!”

“Now, now,” Hound said with an easy laugh.  “Let’s not fight, alright?  You okay, ‘Breaker?”

Trailbreaker was still staring at force field he had created, his hands outstretched before him.  “It feels stronger,” he marveled, “and I feel like I could keep it up for klicks!  This is amazing!”

“What are you even protecting?” Sideswipe knelt down in front of the sparkling dome, frowning.  “There’s nothing there.”

“Sure there is,” Hound said, smiling.  “See, look.  The saplings would have been trampled.  Good job, ‘Breaker.”

Sure enough, within the shining red light, three evenly spaced shoots of green stood in the dirt, perfectly safe and intact.

“I’m glad they’re okay,” Trailbreaker said. 

“They’re just trees,” Sunstreaker pointed out, unimpressed.  “They’re not even big yet.”

“All life is precious,” Hound said, mildly reproving.

“Yeah, okay, great.”  Sideswipe poked the shield.  “You can take it down now.  Eww, it’s sticky…”

“Uh…”

“What the…it won’t let go of my finger!”

“So uh…how exactly do I take it down?”


	12. Frozen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mirage may seem cold, but Hound knows better.

When Mirage rejoined the land of the functioning, there was no sign of Hound or the strange organic creatures that had attacked them. Of course, the thick fog that that had appeared with the creatures and still hung heavy in the air wasn’t helping at all. The last thing he could remember before he had blacked out was Hound’s voice shouting something incomprehensible, and then something lighting up the fog sparkling a brilliant green. All trace of that strange green light was gone, and Mirage wondered if he might have imagined it.

Then he realized he was not alone.

“What in Primus’ name…?"

“Wrong deity,” the cat – she certainly was a cat, he thought, despite her mastery of speech – mumbled around the edge of a large, enameled panel. She gingerly released the object from her mouth and nudged it towards him with her nose. “Here, take this.”

“You are Prowl’s cat.” Mirage said in surprise. “But how did you get so far from the Ark? And…forgive me, but I was unaware that Earth felines have the ability to acquire human languages.”

Tranquility sniffed. “I am my own cat, thank you,” she told him primly, “and I am quite capable of ‘acquiring’ as many languages as I would like.” He noticed that she didn’t bother to answer his first question. “But that can wait for later. Take the panel. Quickly now, there isn’t much time.”

Mirage eyed it distastefully. “Must I?” The round item glimmered quite prettily in the moonlight – pale blue with a silver crescent moon embossed in the center – but it had still been dragged through the dirt; not to mention that part of it had been in the animal’s mouth.

“If you want to save your friend, then yes, you must.” she retorted.

“Hound!”

“Precisely. He’s still hanging on, but he needs your help. Now pick it up and affix it just over your spark chamber, and repeat after me…”

 

Later, after the battle was won and explanations had been made – briefly, because Tranquility had done as cats are wont to do and disappeared fairly quickly – Hound and Mirage sat side-by-side in a sheltered overhang as they watched the stars come out. The pervasive fog had started dispersing as soon as the last creature was dispatched and now only a few stubborn wisps clung to the cool night air.

They had finally managed to report back to the Ark via comm. link, and received orders to return to base by dawn. Mirage was surprised, but Prowl had simply said that he might appreciate some time away to adjust, first. He’d also said something about recharging in the moonlight, which had puzzled Mirage, but Hound had simply laughed and promised to explain later.

But as curious as the orders were, dawn was still some time away, and it was very nice to sit in the starlight; just two ordinary mechs enjoying an ordinary night out with the waning moon and stars as quiet company.

Mirage’s fingers grazed the new transformation plate adorning his chestplate. Well, perhaps not so ordinary. The power that had welled up so easily in Spark was like nothing he’d ever felt before. Even without the Upgrade activated, he could still feel the coldness of the ice sliding against his palms as he had flung shards like javelins at the slimy organic mutations, still taste the sudden sharpness in the air like a glacier breeze as the power swirled around him and settled like a second set of plating over his frame. It was both unsettling and glorious. He clenched his hand in to a fist, and he could almost see the pale blue sparkles swirling around it.

Hound seemed to notice where his attention had strayed, because he chuckled softly. “Ice, huh?” he said. He looked back up at the glittering stars. “It suits you.”

“Cold, aloof and unfeeling?” Mirage asked dryly. Hound shook his helm.

“Beautiful,” he said instead, looking back at him with a smile. And just like that, Mirage could feel warmth well up within his Spark that quite overwhelmed the cold and magnificent power of earlier, making it seem like a faint summer breeze in comparison.

 

“I’m glad you’re with us now,” Hound said. “Maybe it’s selfish of me, but I feel better with you by my side. And now I don’t have to hide this part of me from you anymore.”

“I’m glad that I am with you, too.” Mirage admitted. “I knew that there was something different with you and the others, but I couldn’t fathom what it was. I suppose I’m simply not used to you being involved in covert operations without me.”

“Were you jealous?” Mirage turned to regard him in surprise at the question, but Hound was grinning mischievously.

“Oh, yes,” Mirage replied, deadpan. “I was certain that Jazz and Prowl had commandeered you for their nefarious purposes. A giant harem, I’m sure, with you caught neatly in their net.”

Hound snickered. “Jazz, sure – but Prowl?”

“Prowl is sneaky,” Mirage explained loftily. “It’s always the quiet ones, after all.” Hound started laughing in earnest, and Mirage permitted himself a small smile.

After all, it was only the truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted to LJ and FF.net November 13, 2010.


	13. Elevator

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Because there is always an elevator.

They were trapped in – of all things – an elevator.  An incredibly well-built elevator of Decepticon design, no less.  It was so well-built that their combined firepower couldn’t blast them out; even when Cliffjumper pulled out his _big_ gun.  They were rising slowly but there would no doubt be a very fast – and very messy – drop once they reached the top.

“This sucks slag,” Cliffjumper announced, kicking the wall in frustration.  Mirage couldn’t help but agree.

As Cliffjumper started adjusting something on his weaponry and muttering under his vocalizer (Mirage tried not to listen; it sounded absolutely uncouth, whatever it was) Mirage ran careful fingers over the seams in the wall.  _As we are now, it’s doubtful we will be able to escape on our own.  And help is still klicks away._   He frowned and shot Cliffjumper a quick look.  _Tranquility was quite clear that we were not to let anyone else discover about our Upgrades.  But short of decommissioning Cliffjumper for a brief time so I can deliver us both to safety, I don’t see any other course of action._ As tempting as such a base action could be (Cliffjumper was a good ally, but could get on his last nerve on occasion) it would likely cause more problems than it would solve (starting with attempting to haul his unresponsive frame across enemy territory and ending with the likely repetition of another ‘Decepticon Spy’ episode, neither of which were very appealing at the moment).

“Hey, blue-boy,” Cliffjumper interrupted his ruminations and he turned, startled.  “Got any bright ideas over there?”

Mirage paused briefly, and then bowed to the inevitable.  “Yes, actually.  Perhaps, instead of applying heat, cold might prove a better medium to aid in our escape.”

Cliffjumper snorted.  “Can’t hurt, I guess.  What, you got some sort of freeze-ray hidden up your aft?”

Mirage smiled grimly.  “Better, I think.  If you could please shield your optics for a moment?”

Cliffjumper barely had time to shutter his optics before the elevator was awash in light.  And then the sparkles consumed them both.

 

 

Much later, when both skirted and un-skirted mechs were finally clear of the frozen remains of the Decepticon death trap, Cliffjumper was still trying to cope with Mirage’s explanation.

“But why the skirt and bows?”

“Unfortunately, I have yet to secure a satisfactory answer to that myself.”  Mirage said, his tone clipped.

Cliffjumper couldn’t hold back the laughter anymore and Mirage folded his arms, long-suffering annoyance clear over every inch of his frame.

He almost looked forward to the lecture he was sure to receive upon their return to base.  Surely it couldn’t be any worse than _this_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted to LJ and FF.net August 14, 2010.


	14. Glow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Aerialbots get to the bottom of things (or at least Silverbolt's patience).

“Uh, Sunstreaker…did you know that you’re…”

“Shut.   _Up_.”  Sunstreaker, his plating glowing bright enough to be seen from Cybertron (or very nearly), gave Skydive a glare that could freeze an O-class star.  Skydive gulped and flattened himself against the wall, his wing catching painfully behind him as Sunstreaker stalked past him and in to the Med Bay, the door slamming shut behind him.  With his exit, the lighting in the hallway immediately returned to its normal levels and the three bots vented a sigh of relief.

“He’s awfully bright today,” Skydive remarked, wincing.  Air Raid grinned sympathetically and hauled him away from the wall, and Fireflight soothed his aching wing with careful fingers.  Skydive rumbled softly in gratitude, and the three shared a quick smile.

“Maybe it’s that time of the month.”  Air Raid offered cheerfully.

“What time of the month?”  Fireflight asked curiously.  Air Raid shrugged.

“ _That_  time.  Spike mentioned it before about Carly.  Whenever she gets especially glitchy, he just shrugs and says it’s  _that_  time of the month.”

“Does she glow, too?”

“Not that I’ve noticed.”

“Humans do that when they’re incubating young.” Skydive said sagely.  

“How do you know that?   _You’ve_  never seen a pregnant human.”

“No, but the internet said so.”

“The internet said what now?”

Silverbolt, standing at the end of the hall with his arms full of data pads, regarded the three with no little trepidation.  Fireflight turned to him and smiled, his optics wide and innocent and full of absolute trust.  “Is Sunstreaker  _carrying_?” he asked eagerly.

“Carrying what?”  Slingshot asked, poking his helm out from behind the perplexed Silverbolt.  “Some horrible virus-ridden glitch?”  He grinned with a touch of maliciousness.  “That would explain his stupid, stuck-up attitude.”

“Slingshot,” Silverbolt reproved.  Slingshot shrugged.

“Well, it would.”

“Nope,” Air Raid said cheerfully.  “Sparklings.  Wonder who knocked him up?”

“Knocked…” Silverbolt began, but he was interrupted by a loud crash from the Med Bay.  All five bots turned as one to observe the closed doors in silence.

“I bet it was Ratchet,” Slingshot said suddenly, snickering.  There was another  _thump_  from behind the huge double-doors, and then what sounded like their CMO letting loose in a full-blown diatribe, his individual words muffled and indistinct to the Aerialbots’ sensors.

“I bet it was Bluestreak and that’s why Ratchet’s blown a fuse,” Air Raid suggested after a beat.

“Ironhide.”

“Arcee.”

“Bumblebee.”

“Tracks.”

“Sideswipe!”

“ _Prime_.”

“That’s it,” Silverbolt said loudly over the suggestions that continued to pile out in a gleeful clamor, “no more  _All My Children_ for you lot.”  Their immediate appeals for reprieve were drowned out by another loud  _thump_  from the Med Bay.  They paused, staring at each other, before collapsing to the ground in a fit of giggles and snickers.  Silverbolt alone remained standing, his optics shuttered and his face set in an expression of long suffering.

Even still, he couldn’t quite help the corner of his lip plates twitching upwards at the antics of his wingmates.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted to LJ and FF.net September 27, 2010.


	15. Breach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Somebot discovers a talking cat and becomes quite irate.

“The cat,” Red Alert said quietly, “is _talking_.”

“Now Red, let’s not get hasty…”

“ _No_ , Inferno, we _must_ get hasty!  This is a security alert of the highest degree!  Jazz I could expect this from” – Jazz grinned openly at this – “but Prowl has obviously been compromised.  I can’t _believe_ you would go over both the Prime’s head and mine on something so…” he trailed off and frowned at Prowl’s almost guilty look.  “Prime knows, doesn’t he.”  It was a statement, not a question.

“Of course,” Prowl replied.  “It was necessary to limit the information, but as you said yourself, I could hardly hide such an occurrence from Optimus.”

“But you could hide it from me!”  Red Alert accused hotly.  “I am responsible for the safety and security of the Ark, but I can hardly do my job to proper standards if such breaches are kept from me!  You of all bots ought to know…”

“Red Alert,” Optimus Prime said quietly, his huge frame quite suddenly filling the door, “that is enough.”

 

 

“I don’t know why you’re making so much of a fuss,” Tranquility said in to the tense silence that followed the Prime’s entrance.  The company of mechs turned to the small black cat, mouthplates agape.  She continued her bath with seeming indifference, licking her paw damp and swiping it over an ear.  “After all,” she said, eyeing her spread claws critically, “you stand to benefit quite a bit by my being here.”

Red Alert sputtered in indignation.  Optimus sent his security director a quick look.  “I don’t suppose you’d care to explain that?” He said softly, a thread of command lacing through his query.  Tranquility looked up from her ablutions and tilted her head at him, her eyes wide and guileless.

“I’m a _cat_.  I can get in practically every crevice in the Ark.”  She smiled smugly.  “ _And_ I can now report directly to Red Alert each and every breach the Cassettes can get in to.”

Red Alert paused, his optics flashing as he processed that bit of information.  Seemingly coming to a satisfactory decision, he nodded sharply.  “You.  My office.  Now.”  Prowl gave the security director a pointed look.  “If you please,” Red Alert added courteously.  Tranquility blinked at him slowly, and then turned to give her tail a final once-over.  Then she stood and stretched, her spine arching up and back as her paws reached forward against the slick metal table, her claws gleaming in the light.  Only then did she docilely jump in to the clearly impatient Red Alert’s palm.  The two sailed forth in to his office, the door closing firmly behind them.

“Well,” Jazz said after a moment, “that went well.”

Optimus stared at the closed door with a slightly non-plussed expression.  “Yes,” he said faintly, “very well.”

“Almost disappointing,” Inferno said cheerfully.  “He was working himself up in to a right state, and then the cat comes along and diffuses it, neat as you please.  Not that I mind,” he added, “but the surprise was sure something.”

“Indeed,” Prowl said dryly.  “Let us hope that when the time comes to inform the remainder of the crew we will suffer similar disappointments.”  Jazz snickered and Optimus shook his helm, smiling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted to FF.net and LJ on July 11, 2010.


	16. Hug

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Red Alert is Not Amused

“It’s unnatural.”  Red Alert groused with his arms crossed stiffly over his chest plates.  Inferno bit back a wry smile.

“Might be,” he agreed easily.  “But if it helps us win the war, it can’t be all that bad, right?” 

Red Alert eyed the additions to Inferno’s plating with obvious distaste.  “I reserve the right to defer judgment.”  He announced, and Inferno laughed outright.

“Y’ still haven’t answered me yet.”  Inferno said mischievously.

Red Alert paused, obviously torn.  Then, all in a rush: “I want _you_.  Not this weird sparkly nonsense that hides your frame.” 

Inferno chuckled and let the magic dissolve his upgrade.  “Sure, Red,” he said, a smile playing on his lip plates.  “Anythin’ you say.”  He spread his arms wide.  “Do I get that hug now?”

“You’re insufferable.”  Red Alert retorted, heaving a put-upon sigh.  That didn’t stop him from moving in to the circle of Inferno’s arms.

“Might be,” Inferno agreed, still smiling as he pulled Red Alert close.  The smaller mech’s helm rested against Inferno’s spark chamber, bright blue optics offlining.  “Y’ still love me, though.”

“Hm.”  Red Alert’s tone was noncommittal, but Inferno heard the agreement in it.  They were silent for a few klicks before Red Alert spoke up, his voice once again testy.  “Those sparkles better be _gone_ , Inferno.  I won’t have them all through my quarters.  Who knows what they’ll do to the security feeds.”

“You’re the one who had to have an uplink in his quarters.”

“ _Someone_ needs to keep on top of things while everything else goes merrily to the Pit.  Primus knows the lot of you needs watching.”

“Whatever you say, Red.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted to LJ and FF.net on February 5, 2010.


	17. Activate I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prime asks someone to light our darkest hour in a very sparkly way.

The explosion from the power plant rocked the battlefield, and Optimus could only be thankful that all the human personnel had already been evacuated before the Energon blew.  Even still, his Autobots were losing badly, and he only had one card left to play.

::Prowl, Jazz,:: Optimus said over a private channel, ::I hate to ask this of you, old friends…::

::No, Prime, I believe you are correct.::  Prowl looked over the battlefield where their forces were valiantly fighting a losing battle.  ::The time for secrecy is over.::

::The kitty cat ain’t gonna like this,:: Jazz said wryly.

::She will have to understand the necessity.:: Prowl replied.  Then he opened a seldom-used channel, to which he, Jazz, and eight other special bots were linked.  ::All those with Upgrades are to activate those Upgrades now, by order of the Prime.::

 “Shadow Power, Activate.”  Prowl snapped out loud, the panel over his chest plate turning grey as his Upgrade began its activation with a flurry of sparkles.  All over the battlefield, similar fields of light flared up in a rainbow-hued glory.  When the light died down, ten mechs in brightly colored skirts and bows stood out amongst a rain of multicolored glitter.  Prowl, clad in a dark grey skirt and bright red bow, lifted his crescent-moon glaive in readiness.

“Holy Heterodyne!”  Breakdown raised his gun at the still shining beskirted Prowl.  “I don’t know what you’ve done, but if you think that that gaudy display could possibly take _me_ down—”

“Moon Shadow Sickle Revelation.”  Prowl swung his glaive in Breakdown’s direction, and a dark shadow of purple and black swept through him with frightening ease, sending him flying for parts unknown.  Prowl gave a swift nod and went to search out the rest of the Stunticons, his glaive trailing bits of shadowy darkness behind him.

 

::Magical Bots, Upgrade and kick aft!:: Jazz whooped just after Prowl’s order. He subspaced his gun and tapped twice over his chest plate. The hidden panel blazed to life in shimmering blue brilliance.  “Music Power, Activate!”  A blue skirt swirled around his hips and a bright red bow bloomed over his chest plate.  He struck a pose with one hand on a jauntily cocked hip and grinned cheekily at Soundwave as the sparkles settled into his plating.

“Display:  Futile.”  Soundwave said.  “Autobot destruction: Imminent.”

“Moon Rhapsody Resonation!” Jazz called out in lieu of answering, swinging his left hand wide in a move reminiscent of strumming a guitar.  Soundwave tried to block, but the blaze of blue light and sound rammed into him, scattering his cassettes wide.

“So many sparkles.  Why are there so many sparkles?”  Frenzy demanded belligerently.  Rumble just groaned from his prone position beside him.

“Query:  Mass hallucination induced from prior Energon explosion.”  Soundwave suggested as he attempted to pull himself up.  Jazz just cackled merrily. 

“No hallucinations here, Sounders.  We’re the Pretty Skirted Autobots and we’re gonna kick your afts all the way back to Cybertron!”  He brought his hands into position once more, a determined grin on his face.  “Now, stay _down_!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted to LJ and FF.net on January 2, 2013.


	18. Activate II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jet Judo is so much more fun with sparkles.

_::Magical Bots, Upgrade and kick aft!::_

Sideswipe fired a quick round at Starscream, who dodged it easily while shooting off derisive comments on Sideswipe’s aim.  “Fragging _finally_!” Sideswipe whooped, ignoring Starscream for the moment.  “Sunny, you ready for this?”

“ _Must_ we?” Sunstreaker asked, and Sideswipe laughed.

“You heard the mech!”  He tapped twice on his chest plate, and the hidden panel obediently flashed maroon.  “Rock Power, Activate!”

Sunstreaker sighed heavily.  “Sunbeam Power, Activate,” he muttered, tapping quickly so that his own panel flashed orange.

The twin Lamborghinis, transformed, stood back to back in their skirts, collars and bows, with Sunstreaker in orange and maroon and Sideswipe in maroon and orange, crescent moons highlighting their helms.

“You!”  Starscream screeched, waving an accusing finger at the twins from where he hovered.  “You’re those things from before!”

“Moon Sunshine _Flare_!”  Sunstreaker retorted, and a ball of glowing orange light appeared between his palms.  He forced it outwards and up, and it burned in the sky like a miniature sun.

“My optics!”  Starscream wailed, and lost several meters in altitude as he struggled to reboot his vision.  Sideswipe saw his chance and took it.

“Sunny, gimme a lift!” 

Sunstreaker obligingly grabbed his twin and chucked him at the Seeker.  Sideswipe grabbed Starscream around the waist and forced him to the ground.  “Moon Quake Vibration!” he called, one hand punching the ground and forcing a large maroon sphere to explode in sparkles beneath them, catching Starscream across his wings and tossing them both back up into the air.

Starscream landed in a heap and Sideswipe, hooting with laughter, landed in Sunstreaker’s arms.  “Slag _yes!_ ” he cheered, and Sunstreaker dropped him on the ground.

“We’re not _things_ ,” Sunstreaker told the still smoking and clearly dazed Starscream venomously, “We’re _Autobots_.” 

Sideswipe picked himself up and dusted his hands together.  “ _Upgraded_ Autobots,” he added, “and don’t you forget it!”

 

 

“’Scuse me, Ratchet, I’ll be right back, I promise,” Bluestreak said, backing away from the medic a few steps.  Ratchet shook his head with a grunt, still working away at a groaning Smokescreen.

“That time, huh?  Go get ‘em, kid.  And try to keep your own injuries down!”

“You bet!”  ::Bluestreak complies!:: he told the channel cheerfully, and then tapped his chest plate twice. The small circular panel hidden within it flashed baby blue, the inset crescent moon lighting up.  “Amity Power, Activate!”  A bright flash, and a baby blue skirt and collar and light pink bow appeared on his frame, heralded by a rain of blue glitter.  A crescent moon gleamed on his helm.  Bringing his hands together as if to form a gun, Bluestreak aimed carefully upwards at a low-flying Skywarp.  “Moon Affection Assault!”  A cloud of azure glitter burst out of the space in front of his pointer fingers and spiraled towards the startled Seeker. Before Skywarp could teleport, it knocked him from the sky.  Bluestreak grinned and went hunting for another target.  “I’ll be nearby, Ratchet, just sing out if you need me!”

“Don’t go too far!”  Ratchet hollered back. 

“Doc?  I think I’m hallucinating,” Smokescreen groaned.  “I just saw Bluestreak strike down Skywarp with glitter while wearing a sparkly skirt.”

Ratchet snorted.  “Join the club.  Now hold still so I can fix this.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted to LJ and FF.net on January 5, 2013.


	19. Activate III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The best offense is occasionally a good defense.

“I’m sure glad Spike isn’t here today,” Sparkplug said tightly.

“Don’t you worry, Sparkplug,” Trailbreaker said as he maintained his force field, “we’ll get you and the others home safe, you’ll see.” 

Sparkplug patted one of Trailbreaker’s large, black legs, smiling up at him.  “I know you will.”

“I wish I could have your faith,” one of the engineers rescued from the power plant said.  He looked quickly up at Trailbreaker.  “Not that we’re not glad you’re here or nothing…”

“My friends are very strong,” Trailbreaker assured him.  “I might not be able to do much myself besides this, but…”

“But nothing,” Hound, ducking down near the force field with gun in hand, shot him an encouraging smile.  “We’re strong together, all of us.  And you—”

_::All those with Upgrades are to activate those Upgrades now, by order of the Prime.::_

“Hound!”

“Yeah, I heard,” Hound’s smile turned into a grin.  “Time to turn the tables!”

“I have to drop the force field in order to use my Upgrade,” Trailbreaker said.

“Yeah.  I’ll go first and then cover you.”  Hound subspaced his gun and tapped his chest plate twice.  The hidden round panel flashed green, and he called out, “Illusion Power, Activate!”

Sparkplug let out a startled oath and stumbled backwards into Trailbreaker’s leg when a sparkly green fog enveloped Hound’s frame. 

“Don’t think a bit of weird cloud cover will save you!”  Vortex called out.  “Take this!”

A few spins of Vortex’s rotors dissipated the last of the fog, and Hound stood before them in a green skirt and collar with an amber bow over his chest plate, and a gold crescent moon on his helm.  “What the hell...?”  Sparkplug managed.

“It’s okay,” Trailbreaker said, “it’s an Upgrade.”

“He’s wearing a skirt!”

“That’s part of the Upgrade.”

“Yeah, okay, that’s weird,” Vortex allowed.  “Hey Brawl, what do we do with weird slag?”

“Smash it!”  Brawl leapt forward to do as such, and Hound brought his hands up and laced his fingers loosely in front of his optics, palms outwards. 

“Moon Dreaming Delusion!”  Hound’s optics flashed a brilliant green, and a matching green fog seeped out of space in front of Hound’s palms and quickly coated Brawl’s helm.

“What the…?”  Brawl spun around, confused.  “There!”  And he barreled forward into his quarry.

“Slag it!  Brawl, what d’you think you’re doing?”  Vortex jumped back, engaging his rotors. 

“Stay _still_ , Autobot scum!”

“Now!”  Hound called out, and Trailbreaker dropped his force field. 

“Get behind me,” he ordered the startled humans.  Tapping his own chest plate twice, from which it emitted a brilliant red, Trailbreaker called out “Web Power, Activate!”  Red, sparkling mist surrounded him and when it faded, he was wearing a red skirt and collar with a yellow bow.  A crescent moon gleamed on his black helm. 

“No, really,” the engineer said, looking at his hands which were coated in red sparkles, “what _is_ this stuff?”

“Moon Resinous Rampart!”  With thumb, index and pinky fingers extended, Trailbreaker spread his arms wide, and steady streams of pale red thread spread outwards and upwards until he and the startled humans were covered in a faintly glowing dome.

“It’s…sparklier than your normal force field,” Sparkplug noticed.

Trailbreaker smiled, slightly bashful.  “Well, about that…”

“Hey!”  Hound called out, his optics reverting to their normal blue.  “Decepticreeps!  We’re over here!”

Brawl’s helm came up, the green fog disappearing from his optics.  “You!” he roared and turned to head for Hound.

“No!  You idiot, it’s probably—”

Hound, displaying far more agility than normal, leapt neatly out of the way, and Brawl ran smack into the red dome.  He snarled and braced his hands on the dome to push himself away and soon discovered that the red threads making up the dome wouldn’t quite let him go.

“It’s stickier, too,” Trailbreaker said mildly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted to LJ and FF.net on January 9, 2013.


	20. Activate IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CJ is old hat at this by now, and Brawn is not but willing to learn.

“Well, it’s about time,” Cliffjumper huffed when Mirage relayed the orders he’d received.  “Just don’t get your sparkly slag all on _me_.”

Mirage offered him a faint smile.  “I will endeavor not to,” he offered, and gently tapped his chest plate twice.  The hidden silver panel flashed periwinkle blue, and Mirage murmured, “Ice Power, Activate.” Pale blue glitter swirled up around him, concealing his frame, and then dissipated into nothing, leaving him clad in a lavender blue skirt and collar and a violet bow pinned with the hidden panel, now a pale blue to match the skirt, inset with a silver crescent moon.  The crescent moon on the crest of his dark blue helm flared a brilliant gold contrast.

As promised, the blue glitter remained on his frame and not at all on Cliffjumper’s red paintjob. 

“Moon Glacial Barrage,” Mirage said softly.  Flurries of soft pale blue snow swirled into his cupped palms, and when he blew cool air through them and spread his hands, the intricate flakes of snow clumped together and hardened into icicles. The gleaming daggers of ice flew directly at his quarry with speed, quickly surrounding a startled Blast Off in a glacial pyramid.  Almost immediately, the trapped Decepticon transformed and turned his rocket boosters on his prison, but the magical ice miraculously held.

Cliffjumper made a rude noise through his intakes.  “I don’t know why you don’t just blast the slaggers with the ice chunks instead of trapping them.”

“Don’t be crude,” Mirage said almost absently.  “And this way is just as effective.”  He focused on something some distance away before nodding and pursing his lip plates.  “I believe my services are needed elsewhere, if you can hold the line here?”

“Hmph.  I don’t need your skirts to get the job done,” Cliffjumper boasted, and brought up his cannon, sighting on a few (thus far) unmolested Decepticons.

 

 

“Sugar Power, Activate!”

“Aqua Power, Activate!”

Two pillars of sparkling power, one gold and the other navy, shot up out of the ground.  When they subsided, two Autobots, beskirted and beribboned, stood ready amongst the sparkles.

Bumblebee, in gold skirt and collar and black bow, grinned cheerfully at a dumbfounded Brawn.  “We’ll take care of this,” he told him, and curved his hands in front of his chest plate, forming the outline of a heart with fingers and thumbs.  “Moon Honey Spark…” he clapped his hands together sharply, and in the space between his palms, golden syrup condensed into a shining heart.  “Burst!” 

Brawn stared at Onslaught, who was now stumbling around, blinded, liberally coated helm to pedes in gold sparkles.  He looked back at his fellow mini, who was _still_ smiling cheerfully.  “Bumblebee?  You…how…huh?”

“Good job, ‘Bee,” the tall red Transformer in the navy skirt and collar said, and Brawn was startled to recognize _Inferno_ of all mechs.  “Let’s put him out for good for this battle, huh?”

“All yours!”  Bumblebee chirped.

Inferno crossed his wrists in front of his chest plate – now sporting a bright, fuchsia-pink bow – and then pulled them apart, fingers spread wide, framing the gleaming navy and silver round panel attached to the bow.  “Moon Hydro Rush!” he called and a great fount of water frothed between his hands and pulsed outwards, barreling straight for Onslaught.

The large navy Combaticon went down immediately.

“I don’t know what’s going on,” Brawn said slowly, looking at the downed Onslaught.  He grinned up at Inferno.  “But I think I like it!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted to LJ and FF.net on January 16, 2013.


	21. Activate V

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Optimus makes a speech, because of course he does.

All over the battlefield, pillars of sparkling light sprang up, transforming sorely pressed Autobots into triumphant and powerful warriors wielding incredible powers who mowed down the Decepticon threat.

They were also dressed very strangely, but there had to be a price to pay _somewhere_ , Optimus thought.  “You’ve lost, Megatron,” he said aloud.  “For the sake of your army, surrender now.”

 “Is the mighty Prime so weak that he allows others to fight his battle for him?” Megatron asked mockingly, motioning at the brightly clad Autobots.  “A leader who would give up power to his inferiors isn’t any kind of leader at all.”

But Optimus just smiled.  “A leader knows to accept the help of his friends,” he chided gently.  “We are stronger for the bonds of trust that run between us.  And that is why the Autobots will never lose to you.  We value our comrades too dearly.”

“Sentimental nonsense,” Megatron spat.

“Perhaps,” Optimus said mildly, “but it doesn’t change the fact that, according to my _friends_ , seventy-five percent of your forces on the field are no longer in fighting condition.”

::Decepticon forces now at twenty-two percent capacity,::  Prowl said over the comm, despite the fact that he was currently on the other side of the battlefield and had no insight to the current conversation.  Optimus silently blessed Prowl’s near miraculous capability of knowing exactly when information was needed.  ::Bluestreak has since taken out Thundercracker, removing the Seekers from battle.::

“My mistake,” Optimus continued, smiling, “Seventy-eight percent.”

“This isn’t the end of it, Prime,” Megatron snarled.  “Decepticons, retreat!”

As Megatron blasted off into the sky, his battered army staggering behind him, across the field the Autobots cheered their success.

::Operation:  Crescent Light complete, sir.::  Prowl said quietly over the comm.

::Thank you, my friends,:: Optimus told the special channel that routed out to the ten Upgraded bots.  ::It is due to your efforts that we were able to deal such a mighty blow to the Decepticons today.::  He paused, and then added curiously, ::But why ‘Crescent Light’?::

::Tranquility,:: Prowl admitted.  ::She has a speech she has prepared for each induction of a new member in which she claims we must ‘fight together in secret by crescent light’.::

::So much for the secret part,::  Jazz added cheerfully.  ::Think she’ll be mad?::

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted to LJ and FF.net on January 23, 2013.


	22. Graveyard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Certain things are traditional, darn it!

It was as silent as a graveyard on the battlefield.  That was how the saying went, wasn’t it?  Something about a resting place for the dead, anyways.  All optics were on the unassuming black feline perched on Jazz’s shoulder, who in turn was staring at Prowl, her head tilted to the side.

“So…” the cat (Tranquility, Jazz reminded himself.  Her name was Tranquility, even if she tended to be anything _but_ ) said slowly, her tone honestly confused, “you are _not_ in love with that one over there?”  She pointed towards Starscream with her paw, and the Seeker narrowed his optics with a disdainful snort.  “Or any other member of the opposite faction?”

“Certainly not.”  Prowl replied stiffly, his doorwings held high.

“And…” she looked up at Jazz, who was grinning down at her, “you harbor no such feelings for any of the Decepticons, either?”

“Nope!”  Jazz replied cheerfully.  “Sorry ‘Screamer, ya just ain’t my type.”

“Somehow I think I’ll survive the disappointment.”  Starscream’s voice was dripping with sarcasm, and some of the tension started to slowly disperse from the two groups.  Jazz’s grin turned sharp as he tilted his head in the Air Commander’s direction mockingly.

“So then… he must have unquenchable feelings for one of you two!”  Tranquility said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.  Starscream’s screech of rage was her only response, as there was a sudden mass clearing of intakes as nearly everyone in hearing mysteriously started struggling with their vocalizers.

“That…that’d be kinda creepy, actually.”  Jazz finally managed, trying to keep the wide grin off his face.

“But,” Tranquility said desperately, her blue eyes wide as she flicked her gaze between her charges and their enemies, “but…that’s not how it’s supposed to work!”

“How, precisely, is it supposed to ‘work’, then?”  Prowl asked icily.

“Cross-faction romance.”  She replied matter-of-factly.  “It…it’s _traditional_.  One side falls in love with the other, and everyone tries to dissuade them, and in the end it’s their love that turns the tide of battle and causes the downfall of whatever evil they’re trying to defeat.”  Tranquility glared at them all.  “That’s the way these things work!”

“Welp, that wouldn’t really work for us.”  Jazz explained.  “’Cause if I took a fancy t’ any other mech, Prowl’d get jealous.  And if Prowler here decided he wanted t’ jump some other mech, well.”  Jazz’s grin turned downright feral.  “I’d have t’ take steps against the competition, y’ see.”  He paused thoughtfully.  “Unless he jus’ wanted t’ roleplay.  That can be kinda fun.”  He leered at Prowl, who covered his optics with one hand.

“You’re completely shameless, Jazz.”

“Yeah, but I don’t really hear ya complainin’, babe.” 

There was a long pause as everyone on the field struggled with the mental images produced.  Finally, Starscream broke the silence.  “Ugh.  That was more than I really needed to know about your interfacing life.” 

“You’re just jealous ‘cause you ain’t gettin’ any, Screamer.”

“Like the Pit he’s not.”  Skywarp grinned cheekily, and Thundercracker slapped him upside the helm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted to LJ and FF.net on October 29, 2009. While most of the rest is written, again, there's one more part that needs to be finished before I can post the rest up here. Once I've finished that, I'll upload the remainder :)


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